Marblehead Arts Association

September Exhibits at the Marblehead Arts Association

Mike Ferro · Jeffrey Trubiscz · Al Carfgna · Alexis Baliotis
Beth Hendrick Retrospective
September 4th–26th · Opening Reception: September 12th, 2:00–4:00pm

This September, the Marblehead Arts Association (MAA) is pleased to host a new month of exhibits by local artists, both established and upcoming. Furthermore, there will be a retrospective of work by Beth Hendrick, a local artist who left her mark on the Marblehead art scene.

Click on images to enlarge them.

Mike Ferro: “Around New England’s Shores” · Ballroom Gallery

“Monhegan Lighthouse”
Mike Ferro

One aspect of New England that has captured the attention of generations of artists is the calm, spiritual nature of its landscape. Mike Ferro is one such artist, and his particular inspiration is the shore.

Ferro, who works out of his Marblehead studio, is an accomplished watercolorist and sumi-e painter. Using his unique combination of Eastern and Western styles, he tries to capture the spiritual essence of his subjects. He achieves this in many ways, particularly with vibrant colors and the sparse, careful placement of sumi-e. Enthusiasts of both styles are sure to enjoy this complementary pairing. The exhibit will include selections of his work done up and down the New England coast.

Jeffrey Trubiscz: “On the Trail” · Parlor Gallery

“B7”
Jeffrey Trubiscz

We are all on the trail. Some of the trails we have chosen; others have chosen us. We constantly meet others who cross or sometimes accompany us on the trail. Yet ultimately it is our trail alone, one that reveals both the familiar and the unknown. Some of our trails are quite literal, like the ones in this exhibition; others are metaphoric and follow an arc that falls into categories like “youth,” “marriage,” “parenthood” or “vocation.”

For this exhibit, Jeff Trubiscz has put together a selection of work from his own personal trail. An avid adventurer, he has drawn much of his inspiration from time spent in the wilderness. The wonder he finds in the mountains, coasts, and forests are somehow represented in his work. Now, he invites visitors to share in the journeys that he has taken, and cross his trail.

Al Carfgna: “Myth, Mystery, and Mysticism” · Dining Room Gallery

“Los Nuevos-Videntes”
Al Carfagna

If you’ve ever viewed surreal or abstract art in a gallery, there’s a good chance your interpretation is completely different from the person beside you. They are styles that invite multiple viewpoints, and make the viewer question the reality of the painting.

This phenomenon is what has inspired Al Carfgna to work in his own abstract style. Using the latest computer technology, Carfgna creates digital paintings that deal with “man’s search for answers to the nature of reality.” The subjects of his paintings are sourced from both scientific and philosophical ideas, from creation myths to modern theories on consciousness. Through his work, Carfgna hopes to use the power of abstract art to pique his viewer’s curiosity in what he calls “the Big Picture.” To help stimulate debate, Carfgna has also provided his own thoughts on each piece.

Beth Hendrick Retrospective · Hendrick Gallery

Portrait of Beth Hendrick
Anthony Iarrabino

Beth Hendrick was an appreciated artist, accomplished musician, as well as an avid sailor and skier. She was an active member of the Marblehead Arts Association as well as the Art Guild of Marblehead. An accomplished painter, Beth worked in many mediums, though she is best known for her watercolors of coastal fog scenes and soft mountain landscapes. A mural by Beth Hendrick brightens the lobby of the North Shore Children’s Hospital in Salem and her watercolors and acrylics are exhibited throughout the Northeast.

Beth and her husband Robert loved living in Marblehead and built their home near Oakum Bay in Old Town. There they founded Sea Craft, Inc. and the Hendrick Manufacturing Corporation. When Beth passed away in the early 1970’s, her husband Bob made a donation to the Marblehead Arts Association in memory of Beth and a gallery there perpetually carries her name. Soon after her passing, the annual Marblehead Festival of Arts presented the Beth Hendrick Award to honor the best watercolorist.

In Jackson, New Hampshire you might just find yourself skiing along the Beth Hendrick Memorial Trail.

Alexis J. Baliotis: “The Inner Struggle” · Emerging Artist Gallery

“Kachina and Dean”
Alexi Baliotis

It started with Fear: it can control you and take over your entire existence. Alexi Baliotis has struggled with fear and for years suffered with this pain. But she is not the only one with turmoil inside, every person that walks this earth has pain. Baliotis’s oil paintings show the individual’s inner struggle worn on the outside of the body. Although her images look violent, they have absolutely nothing to do with violence. She uses bruises, cuts, scrapes, and blood in the paintings because they instantly represent symbols of pain. However it is not physical pain she is representing. It is mental torment, which to many can feel physical. Baliotis uses this wounded look to represent the wounded soul. Some people hide more pain than others, thus their representations are more wounded than others.

Her brush strokes are block-like and she uses thick painted lines, so the image looks pieced together, because deep down, these individuals are a jumbled puzzle of emotions. And her viewpoint is very controlled, almost all the images are close up portraits, so the viewer feels like he is looking into a part of the person’s life he is not supposed to see or know. These paintings are not meant to be sad or horrifying. Baliotis’s goal is for the viewers to have compassion for the subjects, because no one is ever without the “Inner Struggle.”

Baliotis’ work is part of a series of exhibits at the MAA showcasing emerging artists. By granting space to young artists who may be displaying work in a private gallery for the first time, the MAA hopes to encourage new avenues and visibility for their work.

Meet The Artist Wall – Valerie Upham · First Floor Hallway

“Watching–Coming Together #5”
Valerie Upham

Water surfaces have always inspired Valerie Upham and her art; creating depth and fluid movement on a two dimensional surface are her goals. This collection of paintings and pastel drawings illustrate a closer look at the waters of New England.

She examines the water’s edge; human form wrapped by liquid and sea birds afloat a changing tide. Often times, she finds that the color of water reflects the time of day or season. In this exhibit, she also takes a closer look at sea life, particularly gulls. She enjoys the personality of these coastal characters, fascinated with the bird’s anatomy as it walks, flies and floats.

The intent of her work is to create a moment where the viewer may hear the sounds, smell the air and have an experience that can only be found in and on the water.